Another over-the-top day!

 Tuesday, July 11,

Rain cells were on radar, so although it wasn't raining at Malcolm's, we waited at the airport until radar showed clear along our route. While we waited, I called different folks at EAA. I had done so much planning for this trip, and yet paid little attention to the intricacies of flying into EAA Airventure. When I had flown in, in 2011, I had just landed at the grass ultralight strip, taxied to a tie down spot, and set up my tent next to my plane.

This year, thanks to really good flying weather, I'd be arriving eight days early! I knew I wanted to do some volunteer work during the week before Airventure, but didn't know if I'd be allowed to camp out or fly in so long before everything opened. So I sent out e-mails and made phone calls, and happily made contact with a number of wonderful EAA folks who helped me figure it all out. 

      I'll stay with friends in here in Wisconsin on Wednesday and Thursday nights, then fly to Manitowish Waters Airport (D25) on Friday to do some sightseeing, then on to Merrill Municipal Airport (KRRL), spend the night there in the FBO, and on Saturday I'll be able to fly into Wittman Regional Airport (KOSH) where EAA Airventure is held.

Dennis is planning on leaving early tomorrow morning for Searcy, AK, where he lives. He's got some complicated arrangements to make, since he wants to bring his RV to Oshkosh to stay in during Airventure and also wants to have his plane there as well. Whew!

Now - back to today's flying:

Our goal today was Mackinac Island (KMCD) in northern Michigan, which is supposed to be an absolutely charming town. Eight-five percent of the island is a state park. We'd play tourist, then fly on to Manistique, MI (KISQ) and spend the night there.

As usual, Dennis flew the coast while I flew a more inland route. En route, I flew through a rain cell - unavoidable - and seeing a long line of dark clouds ahead, radio'd Dennis that I was going to land at a nearby airport and wait it out. He radio'd that he'd meet me there; however, as I got closer, I saw that I could fly underneath the dark clouds and emerge into clear skies on the back side of the wall. So I radio'd Dennis again to say I was flying on, and it worked perfectly!

Flying to Mackinac Island was exciting. As usual, I looked not for the most direct route over the water to the island, but for the route with the least amount of time over the water. That involved flying from Cheboygan across St. Martin Bay to Bois Blanc Island, then flying the length of that island to Round Island, and then across more water to Mackinac Island. I was at 5000' and had to lose a lot of altitude to land at Mackinac's 741' elevation.

Here are some photos of the flight from mainland to Bois Blanc and then to Mackinac. Dennis took most of these photos.

The flying was wonderful, although the 3500' runway looked like a postage stamp from 5000' . 

I made a good landing and was so elated about the entire flight that I yelled and whooped with delight before I got out of the plane. Dennis landed about 10 minutes later, and I was still on a high.

It was a 3 mile walk from the airport to town, so we decided to take a taxi. We waited 30 minutes after the taxi was dispatched for it to arrive.

Once it arrived, we waited while it got refueled for the trip to town.

There are only nine motorized vehicles on the island, two cars (one belongs to the police chief,) and seven fire engines. Everyone and everything gets around either by foot, bicycle, or horse-drawn wagons and carriages. The Grand Hotel Shuttle uses carriages to pick up and deliver its guests to and from the ferry. 

You can rent a "drive yourself" carriage. Apparently a ten minute lesson is all you need.

Everything gets delivered by horse-drawn wagons.

And there were bicycles EVERYWHERE!!!

The houses are astounding and the entire town was delightful. 

The three-mile taxi ride back to the airport took almost an hour. It was almost 5:00 p.m. by the time we took off for the 90 minute flight to Manistique, where we spent the night.

At the School Craft Airport in Manistique, we met Renee, who is a CFI with an RV-6a on floats, and her husband Louie. Until a few years ago, Renee flew a Challenger and she now goes all over the midwest and south instructing in a Challenger. We went out to dinner with them and had a great time.

Here's my track for today.